Saturday, February 16, 2013

Music #325 - Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell 

/ˈpɜrsəl/   (1659 – 1695)

England produced no composer of European stature until the brilliant but tragically short-lived Henry Purcell.

Although incorporating Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, Purcell's legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music.



Dido and Aeneas 

The story of the three-short-act opera is based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid. It recounts the love of Dido, Queen of Carthage, for the Trojan hero Aeneas, and her despair when he abandons her.


King Arthur  

an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream


Rejoice in the Lord alway  



Hail, bright Cecilia!  

- Ode for St. Cecilia's Day


Te Deum / Thee, O God



Jubilate Deo / Joy to God



I gave her cakes

- a secular catch (where the same music is sung by each singer in turn)
- this one on a theme of drinking and flirting 


Come Ye Sons of Art 

- Birthday Ode for Queen Mary II


Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary II
William III (1650-1702) and his wife Mary II (1662-94) reigned jointly as King and Queen of England (1689-1702).






This music was also played at Purcell's funeral. He was buried at the foot of the organ in the Westminster Abbey.


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